During our many pre-departure meetings, we learned about hydropower from Dr. Kerestes and its role in Brazil and Paraguay. The Itaipu Dam across the Paraná River produces the most total energy when annualized many years from the heavy rainfall in the Amazon Rainforest, which then powers both countries completely. Furthermore, we learned about the reservoir formed behind the dam as well as the function of the penstock.
Some things that were reinforced was the dams generators and how they work. Instead of using electromagnetic fields to begin the rotation of the generators, water is used. Due to amount of water at the dams, and the inertia of all of the generators, this allows for a completely carbon free energy source that works at high efficiency. Dr. Kerestes also mentioned that since the Itaipu Dam is so large, there are safety precautions and systems to ensure that the turbines continue to spin at the proper frequency to avoid any grid disruptions or breakdown. I am excited to ask about many questions regarding the similarities of the dam generators compared to conventional generators.
Alongside learning about hydroelectric power, we learned some introductory Portuguese. To add to this, there are a lot of similarities and differences between the two languages. Some words and phrases exist in both Portuguese and Spanish, such as “agua” or “hola/ola,” but others are totally different or have distinct pronunciations. Furthermore, they use different words that sound the same, but have different meanings. Some things I did learn about Portuguese is that all native Portuguese words do not have w or y, only imported words from other languages do.
Through this trip I hope to enhance my understanding of both Portuguese and hydroelectric power. I also wish to learn more about the culture of Brazil, and potentially greater South America in general. This trip has already been a great experience and I hope it keeps being a great experience!
Swanson School of Engineering 